Virtuoso class Battlecruiser
''Virtuoso'', Mexico Battlecruiser laid down 1920 The Virtuoso, or Virtue, class Battlecruiser was part of the second generation of native designs built entirely by Mexico as part of her efforts to establish and secure her trading and colonial territory with the Caribbean and surrounding areas. With the rise of Colombia and Brasilia and the growing threat of communist agitation it was widely felt that future Battlecruisers would need to be stationed further afield to better range against potential enemies and would thus need both heavy armament and good legs. Virtuoso, Mexico Battlecruiser laid down 1920 Displacement 37,904 t light; 40,009 t standard; 42,000 t normal; 43,593 t full load Dimensions Length (overall / waterline) x beam x draught (normal/deep) (736.65 ft / 725.00 ft) x 104.00 ft (Bulges 110.00 ft) x (33.00 / 34.05 ft) (224.53 m / 220.98 m) x 31.70 m (Bulges 33.53 m) x (10.06 / 10.38 m) Armament 9 - 16.54" / 420 mm 50.0 cal guns - 2,400.00lbs / 1,088.62kg shells, 100 per gun Breech loading guns in turret on barbette mounts, 1920 Model 3 x 3-gun mounts on centreline ends, majority forward 1 raised mount - superfiring 16 - 5.00" / 127 mm 38.0 cal guns - 59.33lbs / 26.91kg shells, 120 per gun Quick firing guns in deck and hoist mounts, 1918 Model 8 x Twin mounts on sides, evenly spread 16 - 0.79" / 20.0 mm 39.0 cal guns - 0.23lbs / 0.11kg shells, 600 per gun Anti-air guns in deck mounts, 1920 Model 8 x 2 row quad mounts on sides, evenly spread 8 - 0.50" / 12.7 mm 90.0 cal guns - 0.07lbs / 0.03kg shells, 1,000 per gun Machine guns in deck mounts, 1909 Model 4 x Single mounts on sides, forward deck aft 4 x Single mounts on sides, aft deck aft Weight of broadside 22,554 lbs / 10,230 kg Main Torpedoes 24 - 21.0" / 533 mm, 24.00 ft / 7.32 m torpedoes - 1.539 t each, 36.947 t total In 6 sets of deck mounted carriage/fixed tubes 2nd Torpedoes 12 - 21.0" / 533 mm, 24.00 ft / 7.32 m torpedoes - 1.539 t each, 18.473 t total below water reloads Armour - Belts: Width (max) Length (avg) Height (avg) Main: 13.5" / 343 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 15.00 ft / 4.57 m Ends: Unarmoured Main Belt covers 85 % of normal length Main Belt inclined 18.00 degrees (positive = in) - Torpedo Bulkhead - Additional damage containing bulkheads: 3.00" / 76 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 32.00 ft / 9.75 m Beam between torpedo bulkheads 97.00 ft / 29.57 m - Hull Bulges: 1.00" / 25 mm 400.00 ft / 121.92 m 32.00 ft / 9.75 m - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max) Main: 18.0" / 457 mm 10.0" / 254 mm 14.0" / 356 mm 2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm 1.00" / 25 mm 1.00" / 25 mm - Armoured deck - single deck: For and Aft decks: 6.00" / 152 mm Forecastle: 1.00" / 25 mm Quarter deck: 1.00" / 25 mm - Conning towers: Forward 10.00" / 254 mm, Aft 3.00" / 76 mm Machinery Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, Direct drive, 4 shafts, 104,181 shp / 77,719 Kw = 27.00 kts Range 9,200nm at 12.00 kts Bunker at max displacement = 3,583 tons Complement 1,466 - 1,906 Cost £9.795 million / $39.179 million Distribution of weights at normal displacement Armament: 4,911 tons, 11.7 % - Guns: 4,842 tons, 11.5 % - Weapons: 69 tons, 0.2 % Armour: 14,372 tons, 34.2 % - Belts: 3,611 tons, 8.6 % - Torpedo bulkhead: 1,421 tons, 3.4 % - Bulges: 474 tons, 1.1 % - Armament: 3,577 tons, 8.5 % - Armour Deck: 4,951 tons, 11.8 % - Conning Towers: 338 tons, 0.8 % Machinery: 3,643 tons, 8.7 % Hull, fittings & equipment: 14,979 tons, 35.7 % Fuel, ammunition & stores: 4,096 tons, 9.8 % Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 % Overall survivability and seakeeping ability Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship): 46,532 lbs / 21,107 Kg = 20.6 x 16.5 " / 420 mm shells or 6.6 torpedoes Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.04 Metacentric height 5.8 ft / 1.8 m Roll period: 19.3 seconds Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 71 % - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.76 Seaboat quality (Average = 1.00): 1.11 Hull form characteristics Hull has a flush deck, a normal bow and a cruiser stern Block coefficient (normal/deep): 0.559 / 0.562 Length to Beam Ratio: 6.59 : 1 'Natural speed' for length: 26.93 kts Power going to wave formation at top speed: 50 % Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 64 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): 20.00 degrees Stern overhang: 0.00 ft / 0.00 m Freeboard (% = length of deck as a percentage of waterline length): Fore end, Aft end - Forecastle: 18.00 %, 32.00 ft / 9.75 m, 22.00 ft / 6.71 m - Forward deck: 36.00 %, 22.00 ft / 6.71 m, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m - Aft deck: 28.00 %, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m - Quarter deck: 18.00 %, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m, 18.00 ft / 5.49 m - Average freeboard: 20.16 ft / 6.14 m Ship space, strength and comments Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 83.3 % - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 129.3 % Waterplane Area: 53,045 Square feet or 4,928 Square metres Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 96 % Structure weight / hull surface area: 228 lbs/sq ft or 1,115 Kg/sq metre Hull strength (Relative): - Cross-sectional: 0.96 - Longitudinal: 1.40 - Overall: 1.00 Excellent machinery, storage, compartmentation space Excellent accommodation and workspace room Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform Category:Mexican Naval Vessels Category:SDNW3 Dreadnoughts